Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations (Archived)

qbrozen

driver100 said:

Hold on there...they stole that rear from a Honda CRV:

Ehhh.... not really seeing that. I mean, other than tailighta that are pointy in 2 directions. I was thinking it looked more like a Toyota.

tjc78

Anyone notice? When you make a post My Bookmarks counts it’s as new. That’s a bug.

ab348

Yesterday I was looking for something to watch on the Motor Trend app - not easy if you aren't interested in meathead-style programming. But there was an episode of Fifth Gear, the UK show that is more of a straight-up car show with less emphasis on scripted entertainment pieces than Top Gear or some of the others. This episode had a track comparison of the BMW M2 vs Porsche Cayman. They do it in an interesting way in that they do a neat video effect where the two cars are seen overlaid on the screen at the same sections of the track. The same driver is used, in this case Karun Chandhok who is apparently ex-F1.

I was surprised at the result. The Cayman was faster than the M by 2 seconds over the course of about an 80-second lap, so it was fairly significant.

stickguy

tjc78 said:

Anyone notice? When you make a post My Bookmarks counts it’s as new. That’s a bug.

Been seeing the same thing lately.

Michaell

stickguy said:

tjc78 said:

Anyone notice? When you make a post My Bookmarks counts it’s as new. That’s a bug.

Been seeing the same thing lately.

It's been reported.

driver100

roadburner said:

driver100 said:

roadburner said:

Instead, I went to my 2 Series forum and discovered that the problem is solved by pulling and reinstalling fuse #120- which provides power to the telematics. Five minutes later I was back in business.

That would work great, if he could find the fuse.

Some people can fix cars, some can fix their houses, some can build stuff. For other people, their expertise lies somewhere else. I have friends that keep cars going for decades, and do most of their own repairs. In this case, my friend who had the Maserati but traded it for an Audi SR8 (I think-big racing Audi anyway) was brilliant at retailing. Found himself out of work, mortgaged his house to invest in a business plan, built a chain of stores....he doesn't care if he has to pay the dealer $250 to fix his car.

I'm sorry, but no way in H*ll do I consider replacing a fuse "fixing" a car. Being able to pull and replace a fuse is a minimum level of competence that every driver should possess. I suspect that your friend Mr. Maserati is equally clueless behind the wheel.
He should be confined to public transit.

WOW!

andres3

So I got my '15 A4 back from the body shop yesterday. After 15 days of rental fodder Nissan's, my A4 seems nicer and better than ever.

First, the body shop did the bumper replacement and paint rather well. I couldn't find a single drip, run, or bubble, even along the edges. No white or black spots on the dark blue paint, even along the edges. A solid job, my first experience without a noticeable flaw from my eyes, and I've done single bumper repairs before (shops that couldn't get 1 of 1 panels/parts painted right). The Alltrack repair was closest, I only found one very minor flaw.

Second, the Audi is just SO MUCH more comfortable and quiet than the Altima, and the first 4 days of my 15 day rental experience was a Versa that wasn't even a real vehicle in my opinion. I'm sticking to my description of driving a Versa as similar to what would happen if you enlarged an aluminum soda can, attached 4 wheels, 4 tires, and a steering wheel, a loud motor, a cheap CVT transmission, and drove it. The Altima SR was much better, but the A4 makes it seem like an eco-box. After 15 days of Nissans, I'm so happy to be back in the A4. Driving an S4 ruins the A4 experience, but driving Nissans makes Audi seem fantastic; even the A models. I normally am geared for sport, so it makes the quietness and comfort the A4 provides quite impressive.

You can have good handling, and good comfort at the same time. The Audi does both better than the Altima.

15 day rental = $505 +/- a few bucks
Deductible = $1,000
Insurance paid about $2,350 (Total Repair after rear bumper impact bar replacement supplemental add-on to the repair was over $3,300). No wonder they now offer a "do you just want to pocket the money?" before doing the repairs. The pocket the money offer would be a shortchanged amount based on an estimate that doesn't include supplemental damage assessments. Most of my claims in my lifetime have had supplemental add-ons. So greedy!

Progressive found me 0% at-fault.

Amount USAA has paid me to date from a claim back in December = $0.00

Amount of written correspondence or feedback from USAA regarding this claim = 1 letter.

That 1 letter was an error and non-response though. The letter asked for a "statement" from me. I already had made my statement to them weeks before that letter was sent out. My gut feeling says they sent that letter for no other reason than to send something (anything) out to avoid a "non-responsive" charge if I complain to the Dept. of Insurance.

In essence, USAA was non responsive to my claim, and has violated 30-day rules in CA to be responsive, multiple times now. They still haven't put the verbal claim they find their insured only 70% at-fault in writing to me. I had to call them to hear that non-sense.

So my claim is now going to be the following:

$505 for rental car
$1,000 for my deductible
$2,000 for Diminished Value

I'll take a check for $3,505 and not a penny less, thank you very much.

qbrozen

andres3 said:

So I got my '15 A4 back from the body shop yesterday. After 15 days of rental fodder Nissan's, my A4 seems nicer and better than ever.

First, the body shop did the bumper replacement and paint rather well. I couldn't find a single drip, run, or bubble, even along the edges. No white or black spots on the dark blue paint, even along the edges. A solid job, my first experience without a noticeable flaw from my eyes, and I've done single bumper repairs before (shops that couldn't get 1 of 1 panels/parts painted right). The Alltrack repair was closest, I only found one very minor flaw.

Second, the Audi is just SO MUCH more comfortable and quiet than the Altima, and the first 4 days of my 15 day rental experience was a Versa that wasn't even a real vehicle in my opinion. I'm sticking to my description of driving a Versa as similar to what would happen if you enlarged an aluminum soda can, attached 4 wheels, 4 tires, and a steering wheel, a loud motor, a cheap CVT transmission, and drove it. The Altima SR was much better, but the A4 makes it seem like an eco-box. After 15 days of Nissans, I'm so happy to be back in the A4. Driving an S4 ruins the A4 experience, but driving Nissans makes Audi seem fantastic; even the A models. I normally am geared for sport, so it makes the quietness and comfort the A4 provides quite impressive.

You can have good handling, and good comfort at the same time. The Audi does both better than the Altima.

15 day rental = $505 +/- a few bucks
Deductible = $1,000
Insurance paid about $2,350 (Total Repair after rear bumper impact bar replacement supplemental add-on to the repair was over $3,300). No wonder they now offer a "do you just want to pocket the money?" before doing the repairs. The pocket the money offer would be a shortchanged amount based on an estimate that doesn't include supplemental damage assessments. Most of my claims in my lifetime have had supplemental add-ons. So greedy!

Progressive found me 0% at-fault.

Amount USAA has paid me to date from a claim back in December = $0.00

Amount of written correspondence or feedback from USAA regarding this claim = 1 letter.

That 1 letter was an error and non-response though. The letter asked for a "statement" from me. I already had made my statement to them weeks before that letter was sent out. My gut feeling says they sent that letter for no other reason than to send something (anything) out to avoid a "non-responsive" charge if I complain to the Dept. of Insurance.

In essence, USAA was non responsive to my claim, and has violated 30-day rules in CA to be responsive, multiple times now. They still haven't put the verbal claim they find their insured only 70% at-fault in writing to me. I had to call them to hear that non-sense.

So my claim is now going to be the following:

$505 for rental car
$1,000 for my deductible
$2,000 for Diminished Value

I'll take a check for $3,505 and not a penny less, thank you very much.

Your insurance isn't taking care of this fight for you? And you don't have rental coverage?

andres3

qbrozen said:

andres3 said:

So I got my '15 A4 back from the body shop yesterday. After 15 days of rental fodder Nissan's, my A4 seems nicer and better than ever.

First, the body shop did the bumper replacement and paint rather well. I couldn't find a single drip, run, or bubble, even along the edges. No white or black spots on the dark blue paint, even along the edges. A solid job, my first experience without a noticeable flaw from my eyes, and I've done single bumper repairs before (shops that couldn't get 1 of 1 panels/parts painted right). The Alltrack repair was closest, I only found one very minor flaw.

Second, the Audi is just SO MUCH more comfortable and quiet than the Altima, and the first 4 days of my 15 day rental experience was a Versa that wasn't even a real vehicle in my opinion. I'm sticking to my description of driving a Versa as similar to what would happen if you enlarged an aluminum soda can, attached 4 wheels, 4 tires, and a steering wheel, a loud motor, a cheap CVT transmission, and drove it. The Altima SR was much better, but the A4 makes it seem like an eco-box. After 15 days of Nissans, I'm so happy to be back in the A4. Driving an S4 ruins the A4 experience, but driving Nissans makes Audi seem fantastic; even the A models. I normally am geared for sport, so it makes the quietness and comfort the A4 provides quite impressive.

You can have good handling, and good comfort at the same time. The Audi does both better than the Altima.

15 day rental = $505 +/- a few bucks
Deductible = $1,000
Insurance paid about $2,350 (Total Repair after rear bumper impact bar replacement supplemental add-on to the repair was over $3,300). No wonder they now offer a "do you just want to pocket the money?" before doing the repairs. The pocket the money offer would be a shortchanged amount based on an estimate that doesn't include supplemental damage assessments. Most of my claims in my lifetime have had supplemental add-ons. So greedy!

Progressive found me 0% at-fault.

Amount USAA has paid me to date from a claim back in December = $0.00

Amount of written correspondence or feedback from USAA regarding this claim = 1 letter.

That 1 letter was an error and non-response though. The letter asked for a "statement" from me. I already had made my statement to them weeks before that letter was sent out. My gut feeling says they sent that letter for no other reason than to send something (anything) out to avoid a "non-responsive" charge if I complain to the Dept. of Insurance.

In essence, USAA was non responsive to my claim, and has violated 30-day rules in CA to be responsive, multiple times now. They still haven't put the verbal claim they find their insured only 70% at-fault in writing to me. I had to call them to hear that non-sense.

So my claim is now going to be the following:

$505 for rental car
$1,000 for my deductible
$2,000 for Diminished Value

I'll take a check for $3,505 and not a penny less, thank you very much.

Your insurance isn't taking care of this fight for you? And you don't have rental coverage?

I suppose they are.... sort of... the way insurance companies fight on the common people's behalf? I may see something in a year or so? I have a feeling they won't be willing to "take it to small claims court" whereas I'm perfectly willing to take my 1 for 1 record to 2 for 2 against insurance companies in Small Claims.

So my first thoughts are take the fight to USAA myself; to expedite results.

As to rental coverage, no, I don't pay for that, as I'm never at-fault when it comes to collisions I bet on myself; I take on that risk without a second thought. My wife is a safe driver too. Have to put your money where your mouth is.

driver100

andres3 said:

qbrozen said:

andres3 said:

So I got my '15 A4 back from the body shop yesterday. After 15 days of rental fodder Nissan's, my A4 seems nicer and better than ever.

First, the body shop did the bumper replacement and paint rather well. I couldn't find a single drip, run, or bubble, even along the edges. No white or black spots on the dark blue paint, even along the edges. A solid job, my first experience without a noticeable flaw from my eyes, and I've done single bumper repairs before (shops that couldn't get 1 of 1 panels/parts painted right). The Alltrack repair was closest, I only found one very minor flaw.

Second, the Audi is just SO MUCH more comfortable and quiet than the Altima, and the first 4 days of my 15 day rental experience was a Versa that wasn't even a real vehicle in my opinion. I'm sticking to my description of driving a Versa as similar to what would happen if you enlarged an aluminum soda can, attached 4 wheels, 4 tires, and a steering wheel, a loud motor, a cheap CVT transmission, and drove it. The Altima SR was much better, but the A4 makes it seem like an eco-box. After 15 days of Nissans, I'm so happy to be back in the A4. Driving an S4 ruins the A4 experience, but driving Nissans makes Audi seem fantastic; even the A models. I normally am geared for sport, so it makes the quietness and comfort the A4 provides quite impressive.

You can have good handling, and good comfort at the same time. The Audi does both better than the Altima.

15 day rental = $505 +/- a few bucks
Deductible = $1,000
Insurance paid about $2,350 (Total Repair after rear bumper impact bar replacement supplemental add-on to the repair was over $3,300). No wonder they now offer a "do you just want to pocket the money?" before doing the repairs. The pocket the money offer would be a shortchanged amount based on an estimate that doesn't include supplemental damage assessments. Most of my claims in my lifetime have had supplemental add-ons. So greedy!

Progressive found me 0% at-fault.

Amount USAA has paid me to date from a claim back in December = $0.00

Amount of written correspondence or feedback from USAA regarding this claim = 1 letter.

That 1 letter was an error and non-response though. The letter asked for a "statement" from me. I already had made my statement to them weeks before that letter was sent out. My gut feeling says they sent that letter for no other reason than to send something (anything) out to avoid a "non-responsive" charge if I complain to the Dept. of Insurance.

In essence, USAA was non responsive to my claim, and has violated 30-day rules in CA to be responsive, multiple times now. They still haven't put the verbal claim they find their insured only 70% at-fault in writing to me. I had to call them to hear that non-sense.

So my claim is now going to be the following:

$505 for rental car
$1,000 for my deductible
$2,000 for Diminished Value

I'll take a check for $3,505 and not a penny less, thank you very much.

Your insurance isn't taking care of this fight for you? And you don't have rental coverage?

As to rental coverage, no, I don't pay for that, as I'm never at-fault when it comes to collisions I bet on myself; I take on that risk without a second thought. My wife is a safe driver too. Have to put your money where your mouth is.

Safe driver or don't realize anyone could make a mistake?

andres3

driver100 said:

andres3 said:

qbrozen said:

andres3 said:

So I got my '15 A4 back from the body shop yesterday. After 15 days of rental fodder Nissan's, my A4 seems nicer and better than ever.

First, the body shop did the bumper replacement and paint rather well. I couldn't find a single drip, run, or bubble, even along the edges. No white or black spots on the dark blue paint, even along the edges. A solid job, my first experience without a noticeable flaw from my eyes, and I've done single bumper repairs before (shops that couldn't get 1 of 1 panels/parts painted right). The Alltrack repair was closest, I only found one very minor flaw.

Second, the Audi is just SO MUCH more comfortable and quiet than the Altima, and the first 4 days of my 15 day rental experience was a Versa that wasn't even a real vehicle in my opinion. I'm sticking to my description of driving a Versa as similar to what would happen if you enlarged an aluminum soda can, attached 4 wheels, 4 tires, and a steering wheel, a loud motor, a cheap CVT transmission, and drove it. The Altima SR was much better, but the A4 makes it seem like an eco-box. After 15 days of Nissans, I'm so happy to be back in the A4. Driving an S4 ruins the A4 experience, but driving Nissans makes Audi seem fantastic; even the A models. I normally am geared for sport, so it makes the quietness and comfort the A4 provides quite impressive.

You can have good handling, and good comfort at the same time. The Audi does both better than the Altima.

15 day rental = $505 +/- a few bucks
Deductible = $1,000
Insurance paid about $2,350 (Total Repair after rear bumper impact bar replacement supplemental add-on to the repair was over $3,300). No wonder they now offer a "do you just want to pocket the money?" before doing the repairs. The pocket the money offer would be a shortchanged amount based on an estimate that doesn't include supplemental damage assessments. Most of my claims in my lifetime have had supplemental add-ons. So greedy!

Progressive found me 0% at-fault.

Amount USAA has paid me to date from a claim back in December = $0.00

Amount of written correspondence or feedback from USAA regarding this claim = 1 letter.

That 1 letter was an error and non-response though. The letter asked for a "statement" from me. I already had made my statement to them weeks before that letter was sent out. My gut feeling says they sent that letter for no other reason than to send something (anything) out to avoid a "non-responsive" charge if I complain to the Dept. of Insurance.

In essence, USAA was non responsive to my claim, and has violated 30-day rules in CA to be responsive, multiple times now. They still haven't put the verbal claim they find their insured only 70% at-fault in writing to me. I had to call them to hear that non-sense.

So my claim is now going to be the following:

$505 for rental car
$1,000 for my deductible
$2,000 for Diminished Value

I'll take a check for $3,505 and not a penny less, thank you very much.

Your insurance isn't taking care of this fight for you? And you don't have rental coverage?

As to rental coverage, no, I don't pay for that, as I'm never at-fault when it comes to collisions I bet on myself; I take on that risk without a second thought. My wife is a safe driver too. Have to put your money where your mouth is.

Safe driver or don't realize anyone could make a mistake?

Everyone is human and makes mistakes, but my money is on our mistakes leading to "near misses." I believe it takes GROSS negligence to actually cause a collision, at least 99.99% of the time.

And it's not that big of a gamble with rental cars. I do elect to buy overpriced insurance so far though. I've threated to self insure with a 35,000 bond (meets States requirements for self-insurance), but I haven't pulled that trigger yet. Thought about it seriously though. However, now your talking BIG BUCKS. I see insurance as something that should make you whole on high dollar catastrophic losses. Rental cars are not that.

fintail

I used to only get rental coverage in Europe, but now I just do it and have peace of mind. My rental in late 2018 which ended up being totaled in a not-my-fault incident eventually was resolved at no cost to me, but it was a mountain of paperwork and hassle, which started with me being sent a bill for 19K. I'd have gladly paid the money to not have to deal with the phone calls and correspondence. The kicker is that I was hit by a driver in a rental from the same company I rented from, who was judged at fault, and they still tried to get me.

andres3 said:

As to rental coverage, no, I don't pay for that, as I'm never at-fault when it comes to collisions I bet on myself; I take on that risk without a second thought. My wife is a safe driver too. Have to put your money where your mouth is.

andres3

fintail said:

I used to only get rental coverage in Europe, but now I just do it and have peace of mind. My rental in late 2018 which ended up being totaled in a not-my-fault incident eventually was resolved at no cost to me, but it was a mountain of paperwork and hassle, which started with me being sent a bill for 19K. I'd have gladly paid the money to not have to deal with the phone calls and correspondence. The kicker is that I was hit by a driver in a rental from the same company I rented from, who was judged at fault, and they still tried to get me.

andres3 said:

As to rental coverage, no, I don't pay for that, as I'm never at-fault when it comes to collisions I bet on myself; I take on that risk without a second thought. My wife is a safe driver too. Have to put your money where your mouth is.

Not sure any insurance will save you from the paperwork and hassles though. Just the hassle of renting a car for 15 days was a hassle. Knowing full well it wasn't going to be nearly as good as the car it was temporarily replacing. Sure, I could rent an Audi, but I know I'm out the rental fees for probably a year.

This is why I want to be a billionaire. I could just scoff at unreimbursed obligations then.

Some might be wondering why a rear bumper repair took so long (15 days). Things happen, not the body shops fault, but the negligent at-fault parties fault for starting this chain of events:

1) Audi dealerships employ young workers that don't take care of materials.
2) Due to #1, the first OEM bumper cover arrived in damaged condition.
3) Body shop rejected the delivery and ordered another one.
4) Insurance adjuster selected a diffuser spoiler trim piece based on price rather than compatibility with my Audi A4. This turned out to waste time as the more expensive choice on rear bumper spoiler/diffusers ended up being the correct one. This wasted a bit of time.
5) Rear impact bar was damaged and replaced per a supplemental inspection and approval through Progressive. This delayed the repair as well as they had to cough up more money.

If the insurance company doesn't like it, then I suggest they don't insure negligent drivers?????

driver100

A gentleman I know was turning at a busy corner, a courier on a bicycle zig zagged in front of him, he had no chance to stop before hitting guy on bike. Guy on bike tried to sue for $100000s . This went on for 3 years. Even though my friend did nothing wrong and did all he could he spent 3 years dealing with lawyers, paperwork, and loss of sleep. Finally thrown out.
He went through all of that and he has insurance......that isn't what I want to do. Rather know I am covered.

fintail

I'd rather have to sign a few pieces of paper than be sent menacing bills for nearly 20 grand. Sign it and walk away.

Funny thing, that means the other renter got sent the bills for my car and their car, and I suspect they weren't in a position to pay either - I'm relatively certain they didn't have the insurance, nor the credit card insurance which only covers your deductible, nor their own policy.

andres3 said:

Not sure any insurance will save you from the paperwork and hassles though. Just the hassle of renting a car for 15 days was a hassle. Knowing full well it wasn't going to be nearly as good as the car it was temporarily replacing. Sure, I could rent an Audi, but I know I'm out the rental fees for probably a year.

This is why I want to be a billionaire. I could just scoff at unreimbursed obligations then.

fintail

Yet another case supporting dashcams. One can't expect the legal system to deliver justice all the time.

driver100 said:

A gentleman I know was turning at a busy corner, a courier on a bicycle zig zagged in front of him, he had no chance to stop before hitting guy on bike. Guy on bike tried to sue for $100000s . This went on for 3 years. Even though my friend did nothing wrong and did all he could he spent 3 years dealing with lawyers, paperwork, and loss of sleep. Finally thrown out.
He went through all of that and he has insurance......that isn't what I want to do. Rather know I am covered.

qbrozen

I took rental coverage off my policy, but that's because I have enough cars to cover myself.

tjc78

Self Insured!

oldfarmer50

roadburner said:

Over the past few weeks I noticed that I was unable to send addresses from my BMW Connected app to the nav system on my 2 Series. I did the usual tricks, deleting the phone from the car and vice versa as well as performing a hard restart on the phone as well as the telematics. No joy. Now, if I was Driver's Maser buddy I'd scamper off to the Maserati dealer and likely get charged $250 or more for "diagnostics." Instead, I went to my 2 Series forum and discovered that the problem is solved by pulling and reinstalling fuse #120- which provides power to the telematics. Five minutes later I was back in business.

I had a similar fix with my Tracphone. Went to make a call and it said No Service. I could get calls but couldn’t make them. Tried everything but finally just turned off the power and turned it back on. Fixed.

Wonder why that works with electronics?

ronsteve

driver100 said:

Hold on there...they stole that rear from a Honda CRV:

CRV has been ripping off the Volvo rear end design for years!

andres3

qbrozen said:

I took rental coverage off my policy, but that's because I have enough cars to cover myself.

Thought about using the TTS daily, wouldn't have been a problem. Two things stopped me:

1. In-laws visited in their Spark and I don't really feel safe putting a child seat in the Spark. I gave them the rental during their visit.

2. The body shop I chose was close to work but far from home. Would cost more than a day's rental to Lyft my way home from work, so just rented a car. Enterprise was 200' from the bodyshop I chose.

driver100

ronsteve said:

driver100 said:

Hold on there...they stole that rear from a Honda CRV:

CRV has been ripping off the Volvo rear end design for years!

They all start looking the same when they start putting the tail lights on the upper post...like Volvo started doing many decades ago.

imidazol97

I saw this casket for a dedicated school bus drive (from Minnesota). I thought the story is interesting.
The inside of the casket is interesting and is shown in an additional picture in the article.
https://daytondailynews.com/news/national/final-stop-longtime-minnesota-school-bus-driver-will-buried-school-bus-casket/Aue1Y7ggpu2shZcvXZAI0M/?fbclid=IwAR3SWIeEtYneGeUqJtw2Fb8UkcqojBiyA6wXmKGPSQSew6qpn6H0lrubUsc

driver100

This part is kind of creepy:
The yellow casket will be decorated with headlights, a side-mounted stop sign and block capital letters that memorialize the bus Davis drove

I told the lawyer if I go first I want to buried in my E400 so that Mrs D100's new boyfriend won't be able to use my car.

stickguy

kinda cool.

dino001

andres3 said:

I believe it takes GROSS negligence to actually cause a collision, at least 99.99% of the time.

Define gross negligence and show me your math on the probability. I know I hit something couple of times in my early years because I didn’t see everything around me. Those were parking lot collisions with still objects, not a gross negligence at all, just lack of skill back then. These were small losses, in comparison, but regardless, As I’m getting older, I know I may start losing that acuity and skill now, so I would not be as arrogant to say that I would only cause a collision because of gross negligence. Now, rental insurance is relatively small loss, so one can let it go just on those grounds, i.e. small benefit vs. cumulative payment. No need for grandstanding on own superiority, which we all know is beyond reporoach.

driver100

I taught driving for AAA and to high school students...in the car and in the classroom.
IMHO, one of the scariest group of drivers I know of are the one's who think they are one of the best drivers in the world, and who will never be in an accident.
Being over confident is a killer, you have to know the limitations of yourself, the car, physics, and the unknown factors.
A small example is in the number of 4 wheel drive cars that end up in the ditch after the first snowfall. Another is the guy who zooms by in the fog or heavy rain, driving faster than his headlights can see ahead.
I don't want to get into the car as a passenger, with someone who thinks they are the worlds greatest driver....or, we'll say, in the top 5%.
Most people if asked would say they are in the top 20%....well, we all can't be in the top 20%, but if you think you are 30 to 20% you at least will show some caution and admit you aren't perfect.

snakeweasel

roadburner said:

driver100 said:

roadburner said:

Instead, I went to my 2 Series forum and discovered that the problem is solved by pulling and reinstalling fuse #120- which provides power to the telematics. Five minutes later I was back in business.

That would work great, if he could find the fuse.

Some people can fix cars, some can fix their houses, some can build stuff. For other people, their expertise lies somewhere else. I have friends that keep cars going for decades, and do most of their own repairs. In this case, my friend who had the Maserati but traded it for an Audi SR8 (I think-big racing Audi anyway) was brilliant at retailing. Found himself out of work, mortgaged his house to invest in a business plan, built a chain of stores....he doesn't care if he has to pay the dealer $250 to fix his car.

I'm sorry, but no way in H*ll do I consider replacing a fuse "fixing" a car. Being able to pull and replace a fuse is a minimum level of competence that every driver should possess. I suspect that your friend Mr. Maserati is equally clueless behind the wheel.
He should be confined to public transit.

I disagree with that. If something is not working or not working properly and you do something to make it work properly then you fixed it. Even if it is something as basic as replacing a fuse.

qbrozen

driver100 said:

I taught driving for AAA and to high school students...in the car and in the classroom.
IMHO, one of the scariest group of drivers I know of are the one's who think they are one of the best drivers in the world, and who will never be in an accident.
Being over confident is a killer, you have to know the limitations of yourself, the car, physics, and the unknown factors.
A small example is in the number of 4 wheel drive cars that end up in the ditch after the first snowfall. Another is the guy who zooms by in the fog or heavy rain, driving faster than his headlights can see ahead.
I don't want to get into the car as a passenger, with someone who thinks they are the worlds greatest driver....or, we'll say, in the top 5%.
Most people if asked would say they are in the top 20%....well, we all can't be in the top 20%, but if you think you are 30 to 20% you at least will show some caution and admit you aren't perfect.

I don’t fit anywhere in your dichotomy. I am top 10%, but know I’m mot perfect, of course, and understand and feel the mechanical and physical limitations of my car, tires, and road surface. I am extremely alert and vigilant at all times, watching everything on all sides of my vehicle. Since I am at least top 10, then 90% of those around me are clueless idiots that I must be wary of. I am confident BECAUSE I am connected to the car and driving experience, not in spite of, as you seem to think.

tjc78

The problem with driving is; your performance can change from day to day.

Have a fight with the wife?
Bad day at the office?
Phone won't stop going off?
Kids freaking out in the back seat?

etc, etc.

I think those that can mitigate those circumstances when behind the wheel do the best at avoiding accidents.

Now, of course there are the distracted, reckless, younger and older drivers that add to chaos as well.

Thankfully at least with the newer safety advances the distracted drivers get assistance with auto-braking, lane centering, etc.

driver100

So you are always aware and can detect black ice, you are always on guard for a kid who can run out between parked cars, you are a 100% perfect defensive driver and always know what the other guy could do? You can parallel park perfectly 100% of the time, you know every inch of your car and could back into a parking spot within 1 inch of a wall.......without a backup camera. You are ready for the guy next to you who is also going 80 mph who is going to speed up and wedge his car between you and the guy in front of you.
You have never put a dent or scratch on any of your cars? Or scuffed a rim? Pretty good!

ab348

"At Herb Chambers, we've got some red-hot deals on 2020 Mercedes-Benz models for you! Stop by our Lynnfield location of Flagship Motorcars TODAY!!!" :laughing:

https://boston.cbslocal.com/2020/02/20/lynnfield-car-fire-mercedes-benz-flagship-motorcars-herb-chambers-showroom/

driver100

tjc78 said:

The problem with driving is; your performance can change from day to day.

This is true and I would say a better driver is aware of this. I see it with my tennis guys, they are put on a new med and their game changes - balance is off, reaction time slower, timing off. How does that affect their driving, it has to. A long time ago I had a bad cold, my concentration was off, I knew my reaction time was off and though I drive 99% of the time when we are together I let Mrs D100 drive.

Low sugar could put balance and timing off....a headache, a cold, all kinds of things, to think you are perfect all the time is a bit much.

driver100

ab348 said:

"At Herb Chambers, we've got some red-hot deals on 2020 Mercedes-Benz models for you! Stop by our Lynnfield location of Flagship Motorcars TODAY!!!" :laughing:

https://boston.cbslocal.com/2020/02/20/lynnfield-car-fire-mercedes-benz-flagship-motorcars-herb-chambers-showroom/

Looks like they have 2 Lamborghinis on sale too;
. Early Tuesday morning, two Lamborghinis SUVs, worth more than $200,000 each, were stolen from a Herb Chambers dealership on Route 20 in Wayland. Both cars were later found crashed in Malden.

The MBs might be greatly discounted....slight smokey aroma.

roadburner

snakeweasel said:

roadburner said:

driver100 said:

roadburner said:

Instead, I went to my 2 Series forum and discovered that the problem is solved by pulling and reinstalling fuse #120- which provides power to the telematics. Five minutes later I was back in business.

That would work great, if he could find the fuse.

Some people can fix cars, some can fix their houses, some can build stuff. For other people, their expertise lies somewhere else. I have friends that keep cars going for decades, and do most of their own repairs. In this case, my friend who had the Maserati but traded it for an Audi SR8 (I think-big racing Audi anyway) was brilliant at retailing. Found himself out of work, mortgaged his house to invest in a business plan, built a chain of stores....he doesn't care if he has to pay the dealer $250 to fix his car.

I'm sorry, but no way in H*ll do I consider replacing a fuse "fixing" a car. Being able to pull and replace a fuse is a minimum level of competence that every driver should possess. I suspect that your friend Mr. Maserati is equally clueless behind the wheel.
He should be confined to public transit.

I disagree with that. If something is not working or not working properly and you do something to make it work properly then you fixed it. Even if it is something as basic as replacing a fuse.

I was replying to Driver’s comment about people who can fix cars, assuming he was referring to DIY/shade tree mechanics- the individuals who have a more extensive knowledge about cars. My point was that if you can’t do something as ridiculously simple as replacing a fuse you are a very pathetic and inept vehicle owner.

imidazol97

I just learned from facelessbook that another classmate from Saratoga IN passed away a few days ago.
Another young lady passed a year ago living relatively close to where we all grew up. I recall helping her with organic chemistry

ab348 said:

"At Herb Chambers, we've got some red-hot deals on 2020 Mercedes-Benz models for you! Stop by our Lynnfield location of Flagship Motorcars TODAY!!!" :laughing:

https://boston.cbslocal.com/2020/02/20/lynnfield-car-fire-mercedes-benz-flagship-motorcars-herb-chambers-showroom/

Well, that takes a MB suv off my list of cars to shop if they catch on fire spontaneously.

imidazol97

roadburner said:

snakeweasel said:

roadburner said:

driver100 said:

roadburner said:

Instead, I went to my 2 Series forum and discovered that the problem is solved by pulling and reinstalling fuse #120- which provides power to the telematics. Five minutes later I was back in business.

That would work great, if he could find the fuse.

Some people can fix cars, some can fix their houses, some can build stuff. For other people, their expertise lies somewhere else. I have friends that keep cars going for decades, and do most of their own repairs. In this case, my friend who had the Maserati but traded it for an Audi SR8 (I think-big racing Audi anyway) was brilliant at retailing. Found himself out of work, mortgaged his house to invest in a business plan, built a chain of stores....he doesn't care if he has to pay the dealer $250 to fix his car.

I'm sorry, but no way in H*ll do I consider replacing a fuse "fixing" a car. Being able to pull and replace a fuse is a minimum level of competence that every driver should possess. I suspect that your friend Mr. Maserati is equally clueless behind the wheel.
He should be confined to public transit.

I disagree with that. If something is not working or not working properly and you do something to make it work properly then you fixed it. Even if it is something as basic as replacing a fuse.

I was replying to Driver’s comment about people who can fix cars, assuming he was referring to DIY/shade tree mechanics- the individuals who have a more extensive knowledge about cars. My point was that if you can’t do something as ridiculously simple as replacing a fuse you are a very pathetic and inept vehicle owner.

I recall in my youth having to replace fuses in our cars in the late 50s and 60s and into the 70s occasionally as things would just blow the fuses.

Now I can't recall when I've had to replace a fuse for a long time in my Chevys and Buicks before that.

nyccarguy

Hey Sandy! I’ve got a question that is in your area of employment/expertise. This summer my family & I are going to Disney/Universal. We ‘re going to fly this time. The Disney part of the trip is covered. They’ve got a shuttle that will pick us up at the airport & take us to our Disney hotel. I’m going to need to rent a car for a few days when we are done with Disney to go to the resort we will be staying at while going to Universal. When I am ready to leave Disney, should I take their shuttle back to the airport and rent a car from there? Or would it be cheaper to rent a car off site, then either return it to the airport or just take an Uber to the airport from the offsite rental?

suydam

When we took a similar trip — 3 days at Universal and then a week driving trip north — we found it easiest to take the shuttle to Universal/Disney, and then we Ubered back to the airport to rent a car. That way it was easy to drop off the car at the airport for the return flight home. Why do you need a car at for your time at Universal? Like Disney, they’ll shuttle you back and forth to the theme park every day. And the 2 parks are right next to each other.

qbrozen

driver100 said:

So you are always aware and can detect black ice, you are always on guard for a kid who can run out between parked cars, you are a 100% perfect defensive driver and always know what the other guy could do? You can parallel park perfectly 100% of the time, you know every inch of your car and could back into a parking spot within 1 inch of a wall.......without a backup camera. You are ready for the guy next to you who is also going 80 mph who is going to speed up and wedge his car between you and the guy in front of you.
You have never put a dent or scratch on any of your cars? Or scuffed a rim? Pretty good!

What part of "I know I'm not perfect" confused you?

tjc78

My point was that if you can’t do something as ridiculously simple as replacing a fuse you are a very pathetic and inept vehicle owner.

I don't think it is about can't. It is more like won't. Take my wife for example, I am sure if she had no choice but to do it she would Google how and muscle through it, however, she certainly wouldn't want to nor know how to do it without some instructions.

Truth be told, I used to do a fair amount of work on my cars (oil changes, brakes, minor other fixes) but I couldn't tell you where the fuse box is on either of my cars. Hell, I'm not 100% sure where the battery is on our Enclave. I know it's in the floor somewhere, but would have to look it up.

nyccarguy

suydam said:

When we took a similar trip — 3 days at Universal and then a week driving trip north — we found it easiest to take the shuttle to Universal/Disney, and then we Ubered back to the airport to rent a car. That way it was easy to drop off the car at the airport for the return flight home. Why do you need a car at for your time at Universal? Like Disney, they’ll shuttle you back and forth to the theme park every day. And the 2 parks are right next to each other.

I'm not staying "on the property" or at a hotel close to Universal. We are staying at a resort that's maybe 20 minutes away. We are only going to go to Universal for maybe 2 days. We will spend another couple of days at the pool at our resort, relaxing, detoxing from Disney...

So we will need a car for that portion of the trip.

ab348

suydam said:

Why do you need a car at for your time at Universal? Like Disney, they’ll shuttle you back and forth to the theme park every day. And the 2 parks are right next to each other.

It's been a while since I've been there but Universal is up by the Doctor Phillips/Bay Hill area while Disney is a few miles south of there.

coldinohio

nyccarguy said:

suydam said:

When we took a similar trip — 3 days at Universal and then a week driving trip north — we found it easiest to take the shuttle to Universal/Disney, and then we Ubered back to the airport to rent a car. That way it was easy to drop off the car at the airport for the return flight home. Why do you need a car at for your time at Universal? Like Disney, they’ll shuttle you back and forth to the theme park every day. And the 2 parks are right next to each other.

I'm not staying "on the property" or at a hotel close to Universal. We are staying at a resort that's maybe 20 minutes away. We are only going to go to Universal for maybe 2 days. We will spend another couple of days at the pool at our resort, relaxing, detoxing from Disney...

So we will need a car for that portion of the trip.

consider at trip to KSC and cocoa beach area... quick drive from Universal. KSC- kennedy space center... there are apps to tell you if a launch is planned while you are in Florida. very Detox.. tom

roadburner

tjc78 said:

My point was that if you can’t do something as ridiculously simple as replacing a fuse you are a very pathetic and inept vehicle owner.

I don't think it is about can't. It is more like won't. Take my wife for example, I am sure if she had no choice but to do it she would Google how and muscle through it, however, she certainly wouldn't want to nor know how to do it without some instructions.

Truth be told, I used to do a fair amount of work on my cars (oil changes, brakes, minor other fixes) but I couldn't tell you where the fuse box is on either of my cars. Hell, I'm not 100% sure where the battery is on our Enclave. I know it's in the floor somewhere, but would have to look it up.

The F22 has two fuse boxes- one under the hood and one under the trunk floor. I did have to check the OM to determine which one contained the correct fuse.
That said, even if I was a billionaire I would turn in my man card if I had to pay someone any amount of money to change a fuse.

driver100

qbrozen said:

driver100 said:

So you are always aware and can detect black ice, you are always on guard for a kid who can run out between parked cars, you are a 100% perfect defensive driver and always know what the other guy could do? You can parallel park perfectly 100% of the time, you know every inch of your car and could back into a parking spot within 1 inch of a wall.......without a backup camera. You are ready for the guy next to you who is also going 80 mph who is going to speed up and wedge his car between you and the guy in front of you.
You have never put a dent or scratch on any of your cars? Or scuffed a rim? Pretty good!

What part of "I know I'm not perfect" confused you?

Being sure you are in the top 10%.

driver100

roadburner said:

tjc78 said:

My point was that if you can’t do something as ridiculously simple as replacing a fuse you are a very pathetic and inept vehicle owner.

I don't think it is about can't. It is more like won't. Take my wife for example, I am sure if she had no choice but to do it she would Google how and muscle through it, however, she certainly wouldn't want to nor know how to do it without some instructions.

Truth be told, I used to do a fair amount of work on my cars (oil changes, brakes, minor other fixes) but I couldn't tell you where the fuse box is on either of my cars. Hell, I'm not 100% sure where the battery is on our Enclave. I know it's in the floor somewhere, but would have to look it up.

The F22 has two fuse boxes- one under the hood and one under the trunk floor. I did have to check the OM to determine which one contained the correct fuse.
That said, even if I was a billionaire I would turn in my man card if I had to pay someone any amount of money to change a fuse.

First, knowing how to change a fuse or doing anything mechanical has little to do with ability to drive safely in the real world.
In some tests they believe the more intelligent you are the better driver you will be - but, no real proof. Our driving instructor teacher who taught driving instructors thought average I.Q. people made the best drivers, lower I.Q. don't figure things out as well, too high an I.Q. and driving is kind of mundane...the high I.Q. guy is trying to figure out how to split atoms while driving.
Almost anyone could watch youtube and change a fuse, but, you could also do some damage to the car.....actually cost you more in the long run if you DIY.
Sometimes there are better things to do with your time than changing a fuse. In the youtube video I watched the guy changed a fuse in a Maserati in about 10 minutes, but it took him hours to find the fuse box.
My friend had a business to run. His situation was similar to mine in some ways, here is an example. I could wash my own car....might take an hour of my time....or I can get it washed for $15, spend an hour on the phone lining up a new customer who will earn me $1000 over the next year. Sometimes it is about managing your time.

The last fuse I ever changed in a car was about 45 years ago....I don't hear about them going much these days.
We also don't know it would cost $250 to replace a fuse in a Maserati...it could be free or the cost of a part.

My friend got a job selling Levi's when jeans went bigtime in the 60s, bought a Corvette when he was 22. Got a Men's wear chain started, which still operates today, Started up another retail chain, sold out to his partner. Lives in a $2 million condo......as far as I know has never been in an accident. I am not that easy with MOST drivers, I am completely at ease with him driving, a beautiful driver.

roadburner

You two DO sound made for each other.
As for Maser Boy, it’s his money; if he likes to spend it by going to his dealer, dropping his pants and grabbing his ankles, who am I to criticize him?
I only hope that they send him flowers the next morning- one would think that they would compliment his “beautiful” driving.

qbrozen

driver100 said:

always know what the other guy could do?

You are ready for the guy next to you who is also going 80 mph who is going to speed up and wedge his car between you and the guy in front of you.

Being sure you are in the top 10%.

so the top 10% are precognitive? Damn! I'm missing out!

BTW, I am pretty damned good at reading people on the road. I very often know what they will do before they do it. I like to say to my sons "watch. this lady/guy is going to ..." But "always"? Nope. So if that's what it takes to be top 10%, then I fail.

fintail

Maybe self-immolation from listening to those accents all the time?

My local dealer loves to leave showroom cars on trickle chargers all the time. I wonder if that was in play here, and had anything to do with it.

If my late model under warranty prestige car is acting up, especially something as notoriously quirky as a Maserati, I'm taking it to the dealer and letting them deal with it. If it ends up just being a fuse, great, I get it back quicker. I think I've maybe changed a fuse in a car once, they don't seem to fail often. MB tends to locate the boxes in easy locations, in the fintail it is on the firewall.

ab348 said:

"At Herb Chambers, we've got some red-hot deals on 2020 Mercedes-Benz models for you! Stop by our Lynnfield location of Flagship Motorcars TODAY!!!" :laughing:

https://boston.cbslocal.com/2020/02/20/lynnfield-car-fire-mercedes-benz-flagship-motorcars-herb-chambers-showroom/